The Marching Band
by House-of-Blood
Summary: Aaron was forced to move to the small town of Bathory after the death of his father. There, he meets Vlad, a strange, unwanted boy who understands what it feels like when you loose someone close.
1. Chapter 1

Aaron walked through the doors into the school, looking up at the high pillars and crosses perched above his head. He silently crossed the hallway, watching his fellow students mingle, talking either in large groups or in small pairs. All around him, locker doors slammed, and footsteps echoed through his ears. Aaron wrinkled his forehead, and walked on.

_What a stupid town_**, **he thought, _why was I forced to come here?_

But deep down, he knew. It was because his mother had made him, insisting that they start fresh, with a clean slate, by moving to a new town. Ever since the death of his father, Aaron's mother had taken a new perspective on life, something that caught Aaron by surprise. It seemed like she had more control over her emotions, like a whole new person.

She kept her head high, her shoulders straight, and put on a daily smile. Aaron had to admit, it was a healthy attitude to take on after the death of a husband, but Aaron himself was not yet ready to move on. Not that his mother had completely moved on. At night, when Aaron struggled to sleep, he would lay awake, listening to the sounds of her sobs, easy to hear through the paper thin walls of their new home. Every once in a while, her cries would cease, and he thought she'd fallen asleep, only to be proved wrong when the sounds of her shudders filled the air once again. At night, she would mourn, and during the day, she would smile. Things had not been as easy for Aaron. A new town and a new school were hard enough, and they were not helping his cause for recovery. He wouldn't have minded the move as much if it had been to a big city, some place with lots of people where he could hide in a corner, invisible to the rest of the world. But no, his mother had to choose one of the smallest towns in existence. Bathory. A town where everyone knows everything about you. There was no escaping attention in a town like this. So desperate for change, everyone runs to your side, wanting to know you, to know everything about you.

Aaron was pondering over those thoughts when suddenly; he was knocked to the ground.

Aaron grunted and opened his eyes. About three feet away lay the boy he must've run into. He was tall and thin, with pale skin and black hair. When the boy opened his eyes, Aaron noted that those too were black. The boy rubbed the back of his head and stood, picking up his fallen book bag. He then walked over to where Aaron still laid, and held out a hand. Aaron took it, the boy's skin was cold and soft, and he was pulled to his feet.

"You all right?" the boy asked.

Aaron brushed the dirt off of his pants and answered, "Yeah, I am. Sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention."

The boy smiled and shook his head, "Nah, its fine."

He stuck out his hand again, "I'm Vlad."

Aaron took Vlad's hand in his and shook,

"Aaron."

Vlad smiled and tilted his head, "You new here? I don't think I've seen you around."

Aaron shrugged, "Yeah, me and my mom just moved here.

Vlad nodded, "What about your dad?"

Aaron shook his head and sighed, "My dad died last month. It's just us."

Vlad frowned, "I'm sorry. Its hard losing a parent, isn't it?"

Aaron nodded, "Yeah it really is…"

Vlad crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "I understand,"

Aaron tilted his head, confused,  
"Have you last a parent?" he asked.

Vlad gave a sad half smile.

"Both of my parents are dead," he replied, saying it without even a hint of emotion.

Aaron shifted, suddenly uncomfortable, "Oh. I'm sorry." He mumbled.

Vlad opened his mouth to reply, but the bell rang, cutting him off.

Without another word, Vlad nodded his goodbye, and walked down the hall. Aaron just stood and watched his first and only friend walk away, thinking about how lucky he was to have found someone who finally understands.


	2. Chapter 2

The last bell finally rang, jolting Aaron awake from his semi-conscious mind. He walked out of his last class and headed towards his locker, when he spotted Vlad talking to someone. He wanted to say hello, but something in his gut stopped him, telling him that he shouldn't interrupt. He shoved his books into his locker, and swung his book bag over his shoulder. He walked past Vlad and the boy he was talking to, whom he recognized as a boy who sat next to him in algebra. Joss something. Aaron shook his head, unable to remember his last name. He and Vlad were talking low, their voices full of hatred toward each other, whispering foul words. As Aaron walked by, he heard Joss whisper to Vlad, "-a perversion of nature is what you are Vlad. A freak, nothing more and so much less. And no one here knows it; no one knows what you really are. But I do." He gave Vlad a dirty look, and said something rather rude that ended with, "-your life Vlad." With every word that Joss said, Vlad's shoulders sunk lower and lower, and at this point they were as low as they could get. His head hung in shame, and he just walked away, leaving Joss standing at his locker door. The expressions in his eyes were a mixture of sadness and self-loathing. He walked past the other kids, and out the front door. Aaron followed, and caught up to him quickly.

'Hey Vlad,' He said quietly. He didn't want to interfere on Vlad's thoughts, but he also wanted to know what had happened between him and the boy. Vlad didn't seem to hear at first, and Aaron just thought about walking away, leaving Vlad to himself, when he whispered back,

"Hey Aaron." Vlad didn't even look at Aaron, but just kept walking on. Aaron decided that Vlad needed some time alone, so he left without another word, turning to walk in a different direction, towards his house. When he arrived, he stepped inside, and threw his book bag on the floor. He looked around the living room, and everything was in order, exactly how he'd left it that morning. The only difference was a note lying on the coffee table, written by his mother. The note told him that she'd be at the grocer buying food. Aaron crumpled the paper in his hand, and threw it away. Aaron stretched his arms and flopped on the couch, his feet dangling off the edge. His eyes fluttered close, and finally, he drifted to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron took the hearing plugs out of his ears, and turned off his IPod. Stuffing it into his pocket, he made his way to the cafeteria, where he saw Vlad, his one and still only friend, talking to a Goth girl with purple and black hair. Vlad always hung out with the Goth kids, yet insisted that he himself was not Goth. Which was something Aaron thought was kinda funny, since all that Vlad ever wore was black and... black. Vlad had told Aaron that he didn't approve of labels, and Aaron completely agreed. Why should you look at a person, and decide where they belong, or who they should hang out with? It just wasn't right. Aaron grabbed his hot lunch from one of the old, wrinkly lunch ladies, and took his seat at an empty table towards the back of the room. He ate in silence, and waited for the bell to ring. It seemed that everyone at Bathory High had friends.... except Aaron. And Eddie Poe of course, but he didn't count. He never counts. Aaron almost felt sorry for him, the tiny boy with no friends and no life, but Vlad had told Aaron all about him, about what he did to people who were different. He took your picture, and wrote bogus stories about you, posting them in the school paper. And the only reason Vlad said this, is because that's what happened to Vlad freshman year. Aaron shook his head, high school had no purpose. At all.  
Aaron was almost finished with his lunch, when Vlad walked over to his table,  
"Hey Aaron, what's going on?" He smiled as he said it, as if he really was happy to see Aaron. Aaron smiled back, happy to finally be talking to someone other than a teacher.  
He shrugged as he said it, "Nothing much. You?"  
Vlad looked around, as if he were waiting for someone, but he forced another smile, and distractedly said, "Same as always I suppose."  
Aaron just nodded and looked out the window. Snow coated the ground, and ice covered the windows. The trees were bare of their leaves, and looked empty and dead without them. Which was fitting, Aaron thought, because in the winter, they were empty and dead. Kind of like Aaron's heart lately. His entire life felt stranger than it ever had. His mother was finally working again, something she hadn't done in years, and the new house felt empty… and too quiet, much too quiet. Pictures of his family, including his father, filled the hallways, and sat in frames on the counters. But nothing felt right, his spirit wasn't filling the house, and his smell wasn't lingering on the couch. Aaron felt lonesome when he got home after school, having no one to talk to about his day when his mother was working. He still had only one friend, the ever distracted Vlad. Vlad, who smiled one minute and frowned the next. Vlad, who had the most popular boy in school as his best friend. Vlad, the only one that accepted Aaron, the only one that talked to him and listened to him. Vlad, the only one who understood.  
Aaron finished his lunch, and crumpled the rubbish into a ball, throwing it into a near trash can. Vlad got up, and so did Aaron.  
"What class do you have next?" Vlad asked.  
"Art," Aaron answered. Vlad nodded, and sighed, "I have algebra." He said, a disappointed look crossing his face. Aaron smiled, "Sorry man."  
Vlad just shrugged, "Naw, it's all right. See you after school, right?"  
Aaron nodded, and the bell rang, signaling them that they only had five minutes until class started.  
They walked in separate directions, not saying a word. Aaron quickly grabbed his books and walked toward art class, dreading today's lesson. Aaron couldn't draw a stick figure to save his life, but the only reason he liked art was because it wasn't a homework-giving class.

Aaron walked down the steps, thanking time for letting the day be over so fast. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, and dragged his messenger bag behind him, too heavy to keep on his shoulders. He walked into the street, crossing so he could get to the right sidewalk.  
"Aaron! Watch out!" someone called from behind him, whom he recognized as Vlad's voice. Aaron turned, wondering what was going on. Before he could do anything, before he could even see Vlad, Aaron was knocked to the ground, feeling very much like he was being punched in the gut several times. He groaned and turned over on his back, his clothes feeling very wet. He couldn't feel anything, which was good, because he suspected that if he could, he would be in a lot of pain. His vision blurred as people gathered around him, voices and shouts filling his head. He groaned again, starting to feel the pain. His back hurt the most, but also his left arm and right leg. He closed his eyes, and waited for the pain to stop. When it didn't, he opened them again, now seeing Vlad's face. His eyes looked worried, and he shouted something to a teacher behind him. He put his hand on the ground next to Aaron, and then quickly withdrew it. He looked at his shaking hand, which was now covered in Aaron's blood, and suddenly, hunger filled his eyes. His eye started twitching, and he opened his mouth, reveling two, very sharp, very long teeth. Aaron gasped, and despite the pain, pointed at Vlad's mouth. Vlad's eyes grew wide, and he snapped his mouth closed, looking embarrassed and mad. He out one finger to his mouth, as if her were telling Aaron to be quiet. Aaron nodded his understanding, and without further interference, closed his eyes and let himself be swallowed by the pool of darkness, which waited just underneath the line of his subconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

Aaron groaned and opened his eyes. The familiar look of his hospital room welcomed him, and he groaned again. It was so boring being in a hospital. He'd been there ever since the car accident three days before, having undergone three operations and expecting lots and lots of physical therapy. Vlad had come to see him once, but other than him and Aaron's mother, Aaron had no one to visit with. He'd slept for most of his stay; escaping the pain for short amounts of time, but it was always there to greet him when he awoke again. He had suffered a broken right leg, a fractured left arm, internal bleeding, and a concussion. The doctors were surprised when he woke up; they'd expected him to be unconscious for days, maybe even over a week. But Aaron had woken up just hours after his operations… something that rarely happened in the hospital. He looked at the small table next to him, and noted with disgust that there was a tray of that horrid hospital food. Pressed turkey and cheep potatoes. Disgusting. He pushed it away, and grabbed his book. That was all there was to do, since there was no television in his room. He was re-reading _Frankenstein_ for the fourth time, a story he'd loved for years. It had been made into several great movies, all of them better than the last, progressing through the years. But as his eyes scanned the words, his mind went somewhere else. What he had seen the day of the accident still haunted him, flitting through his thoughts, and though he tried so hard to get it out, the image stayed planted in his mind. Vlad and his two teeth. His two, very large, very long teeth. It could have been a dream, something that he happened to think of while he was unconscious during surgery, but something deep down in his gut told him it wasn't. He forced his eyes to the words, but still, nothing came. His mind wouldn't take in the meaning of the things he was reading, not soaking in the words. Not seeing a point in reading anymore, he put the book down and closed his eyes. He wasn't willing to go back to sleep, he'd had too much of it lately. He simply rested his eyes, his mind wandering the thoughts of his imagination. Everything seemed calm, happy, and dark. Then, Aaron heard the door open and footsteps entered his room. He opened his eyes again, and found his mother sitting in the chair near his bed. She smiled at him, looking weary and worn. "You looked tired mum," Aaron said quietly. She just smiled again and reached up, moving a stray hair from Aaron's forehead.  
"I'm fine dear. Don't you worry about me; it's you that's lying in a hospital. It's you that was hit by a car. It's you that needs rest." She patted his forehead lightly, as if she were afraid of hurting him. He rolled his eyes and looked out the window. It had a beautiful view of the town square, the people bustling around in their everyday rushes, unknown to others around them. He watched them sit and talk, others driving together or just walking alone. He wished so badly that he could be out with them, walking with his father, just like old times. When things were better, happier. He looked back at his mother, who was watching him carefully. He shifted, uncomfortable that his mother worried over him so much. He'd felt so sorry about all the pain he'd caused her, all the tears she'd shed over him. Right after the loss of his father, she had so much to worry about, and now Aaron is in the hospital, refreshing her pain all over again. Guilt washed over him, burning to his core. He closed his eyes again, and laid his head back, sleep washing over him. He heard the door open again, and thinking his mother had left, he opened his eyes. There stood Vlad, looking very serious, standing over his bed. Aaron's eyes widened, but not with fear, with surprise. He'd forgotten about Vlad for the time being, thinking only of his past and what was now his present. Aaron smiled at Vlad, who grinned back, but only briefly. His smile slipped, and his face turned hard once again. They stayed and chatted for a while, Vlad asking how Aaron was, and Aaron's mum telling stories. After about ten minutes, she looked at her watch, and announced that she had to go back to work. Once she'd left, Vlad took her spot, looking at Aaron very seriously.  
"Aaron we need to talk."  
Aaron nodded, understanding exactly what it was that they needed to speak of.  
Vlad took a deep breath, as if he were trying to postpone what he wanted to say.  
"About what you saw the other day…" he started.  
Aaron cut him off, "You're a vampire Vlad. I'm not stupid or barmy or whatever. I saw them Vlad, I saw them. And you know that I'm right, so there's really no point in arguing." Aaron raised an eyebrow, awaiting Vlad's reply.  
Vlad's eyes had widened in surprise, but he didn't speak.  
Finally, he took another breath and said, "That saved me a lot of explaining."  
Aaron laughed out loud, and smiled. "It's all right with me Vlad. I could really care less. I just wanted to know the truth. And if you don't want me to say anything, I won't." Aaron said honestly. It really didn't bother him at all. He'd thought a lot about it, and decided that he shouldn't judge Vlad, vampire or not. He'd been the only one Aaron could talk to, the only friend Aaron had. The only one who understood about loss. Vlad looked immensely relieved, and shook his head, "You can't tell anyone Aaron. Please, if this gets out in public, in dead meat." He looked at Aaron pleadingly, and Aaron nodded, "I won't. Trust me."  
And Vlad smiled, the tension in the air simply melting away. Aaron just nodded, "Everyone has secrets Vlad. Including me. And everyone deserves the right to keep their secrets. Everyone."  
Vlad just nodded, and sighed. "I guess I can't know your secret?" he said.  
Aaron thought about it for awhile, "Maybe one day, possibly one day soon, but that day isn't today.  
Vlad nodded, and got up. "I've got to go. Can I visit tomorrow?"  
Aaron nodded, the pain slowly returning to his arms and legs, and he winced as he spoke, "That would be great."  
Vlad nodded his goodbye, as he always did, and walked out of them room, his head held high, the air around him full of… Aaron didn't know how to explain it. It was confidence, but it wasn't. It was sophistication, but it wasn't that either. It was air full of knowledge, Aaron decided on. That was it. It was the only word that could fit.  
He slowly closed his eyes, and fell asleep, once again escaping the pain, but still expecting it for when he awoke.


	5. Chapter 5

Aaron smiled his plastic smile at his mother, who indeed smiled back, always a figure of happiness, despite all the pain she's suffered. Another twang of guilt struck Aaron as he wobbled down the stairs, still getting used to walking with crutches. When he finally reached downstairs, he kissed his mother goodbye for the day, and she walked out, talking the car to work, leaving Aaron to walk to school. This made his eye twitch, thinking that his mother could have at least offered him a ride to school, or made sure he had one by a friend. Not that Aaron didn't have a ride, but she wasn't aware of that. He checked his watch and glanced out the window, expecting a car to pull into the drive. He grabbed his book bag and limped outside to wait on the porch swing. As he was about to sit down, a black SUV pulled in, the driver none other than Vlad. Aaron smiled inwardly and limped over, struggling to slide into the front seat. He dropped the bag on the floor of the vehicle, and looked at Vlad. He seemed very distant, distracted, and slightly worried for some reason. He was biting his bottom lip, and his eyes were darting at scenes outside the window.  
"Are you all right Vlad?" Aaron asked.  
A while passed, and Aaron wondered if Vlad would answer at all, but he did, sounding tired and sick, "Yeah Aaron, I'm fine. What about you, are you all right?"  
Aaron nodded, and sighed, "It still hurts, but other than that I'm fine."  
Vlad just nodded, and didn't say anything, his eyes once again away from reality, to somewhere far away. Aaron hoped that at least the place Vlad was thinking of was happy, because lately, he had been so distant, so…unhappy looking. He had dark purple circles under his eyes, and his cheeks had sunken in, as if he'd stopped eating. His mouth sat in a frozen frown, and his eyebrows were drawn together. His hair sat lightly upon his forehead, in desperate need of a cut. His bangs hung in his eyes, and around his neck. Aaron didn't know if Vlad liked them that way, or if he'd been too busy to get them trimmed. His fingers tapped on the steering wheel, as if he were nervous, or anxious about something. The twitch on Vlad's right eye told Aaron that something was bothering him… but he didn't know what.  
"You're not fine Vlad. You know you're not. You can tell me what's wrong… I won't judge. You know that. You can tell me anything."  
Vlad stared ahead, either ignoring the fact that Aaron had spoken at all, or just being ignorant to his words. Then Vlad sighed, and glanced at Aaron.  
"There's a lot going on Aaron… a lot that you wouldn't understand. It's hard to explain, and well, I'm not sure you would get much of it." He shook his head, and looked at Aaron, then back to the road.  
Aaron wet his lips and said, "Go on Vlad, just say it. Getting it off your chest will help. It always does."  
"Well, let's start with this: My friend, Tristan, just died, and his death has really been bothering my other friend, Vikas. He's been in a mood all week, and he's not eating right anymore. My Uncles upset too, but about something else, too long of a story to go into. Henry's broken up with his girlfriend, and all of a sudden, he's mister, 'I know everything about relationships and troubled friends'. He's driving me insane!" Vlad shook his head again, exasperated.  
"And this girl I used to date is now going out with an old friend, who happens to hate my guts. And another girl I really like, Snow, just wants more than what is good for her… something that I can't give. And I don't know what to tell her…I can't go out with her without hurting her, and no matter how much I don't want to, I still like my ex. Ok, Aaron? That's it, that's why I'm upset." Vlad had raised his voice a lot during his speech, and now was almost to the verge of shouting.  
Aaron nodded his understanding, though he knew nothing of what Vlad was going through. Aaron had his own amount of problems, piling up, one after another. But he still knew nothing of the pain Vlad had undergone. Losing both his parents, being picked on by his piers, fighting with one of his best friends, and loosing the ability to speak to him, because of the messed up relationship they had. Girl problems and so on.  
Aaron looked out the window, at the passing students on their way to school, chatting and laughing with one another. Aaron wished he had more friends, more people to hang out with. But truth be told, he'd never really tried to reach out, to speak to any of them. He ignored them, they ignored him. The circle of life, according to the laws of secondary school.  
Aaron looked up when Vlad spoke again, his voice gruff and sorrowful this time, "I'm sorry I'm dumping all this crap on you Aaron. I'm just going through a rough time." He looked at Aaron apologetically, his eyes full of meaning.  
"It's all right Vlad; we all go through hard times. Everyone, the men who have it all go through hard times in their lives. Even I go through hard times." Aaron nodded, and looked at Vlad. Vlad looked back at Aaron and tilted his head, "What was the hardest thing you've been through Aaron?" He asked.  
Aaron swallowed hard, but decided to tell the truth, "When my brother died."  
Vlad's brows drew together again, "You had a brother?"  
Aaron nodded, and sighed, "He died in a boating accident when I was 14, and he was 15. There was a storm on the waters, and the boat flipped. He drowned trying to hang on." Aaron's eyes watered at the memory. But he continued, not wanting to seem week, "I still hung on though, he let go of my hand, and I didn't go after him." Aaron hung his head in shame, "I was supposed to protect him. But I let him down. I let everyone down. I went to lots of therapy after that, they tried to get me to talk about it, to tell what happened. But I wouldn't. So they just quit on me. Then my dad died, and then we moved here." Aaron sighed, and put his arm on the door, resting his head in his hand, and stared out the window.  
Vlad shifted, the air around them suddenly tense. "I'm sorry Aaron. I really am."  
Aaron looked at Vlad, and with a serious tone, he asked, "Why do things like that happen to people like us Vlad? Did we do something wrong? Were we chosen? What?"  
Vlad shook his head, and sighed, "Our lives were picked for us, but we have to stand our ground Aaron, because no matter how hard they are, these are our lives. And we have to stay with them."  
Aaron nodded and looked out the window again, not understanding exactly what Vlad meant, but happy that he had said what he said.


	6. Chapter 6

Aaron groaned, but the doctor insisted that he push his leg farther. _Screw physical therapy_, Aaron thought. He hated it, but it was something that had to be done. It was the only way he could recover from the horrific accident that happened four weeks earlier. He winced as his bone cracked loudly, but for the most part, he tried to ignore the pain. What he did think about, instead of the constant aches and pains ebbing from his entire being, was the upcoming Snow Ball. Several girls had asked him already, but he just couldn't decide who to pick. He didn't know many of them very well, and he didn't want to spend the night with an awkward date whom he barely knew. He spent the next couple of minutes pondering over this, when the doctor told him that he could leave. His mother was waiting for him in the lobby, and when Aaron turned the corner, she got up and smiled. He smiled back, and for the first time in years, his grin was real and full of meaning, and his chest suddenly felt lighter. It felt good to smile, to be happy. It felt so different, considering the fact that it had been almost three years since he'd felt truly happy. Ever since his brother died, it felt like a part of Aaron had died too. Like he was empty, with a giant gaping hole in his heart, sitting there and rotting to no end. He shook his head and followed his mother out the revolving doors. They stepped into their car, and drove home, his mother asking about his therapy. He told her what happened, how the doctors had stretched his arms and legs, in order to loosen the muscles. It had pained Aaron to a point of no end, and it kept going and going and going, unending. But of course, Aaron didn't tell his mother that. She had too much stress in her life already, without Aaron bothering her with his foolish complaints. As if he deserved to complain, as if he owned that right at all. He didn't, and there was nothing he could do about it. Aaron stared out the window for the rest of the ride home, and when they arrived, he was surprised that they had gotten there so quickly. He flexed his neck and got out of the car, walking through the door way and straight up into his room. He put his crutches down on the floor, and climbed on top of his bed. He stared at the picture frame that sat atop his dresser, and against his wanting, tears stained his cheeks. They ran and settled upon his pillow, pooling together in great amounts. Aaron took a breath to calm himself, but that of course did not help. He cried for the next hour, not taking his eyes off of the photo. By the time Aaron's eyes started to flutter closed, he was sure that he had cried so much that night, that anyone who looked close enough could trace the tracks of his tears. He knew that photo like the back of his hand. He continued to stare at his older brother's face, happy and smiling, standing right next to his father. His father, who always had a smile and something good to say. His brother, who always knew everything about anything, who could help Aaron with all of his problems, and would always make a joke. Even when he was dying. Aaron's mind was far away by then, back to the day of the boating accident.  
His brother held onto the side of the boat, winds and waters whipping at his face, soaking his hair. The same was happening to Aaron, the waters trying to pull him away from the safety of his boat, trying to pull him down, down underneath the deadly waves and foams. Aaron looked back at his brother, who, to Aaron's surprise, was smiling.  
"Never thought this was gonna happen did you Aaron?" his brother called from the other side of their upside down boat.  
Aaron shook his head, "Please James, be serious! We could die right now, don't you even care?"  
But James just shook his head, still smiling. "Aaron you should know that if I'm gonna go, then I'm going with a smile."  
"Don't talk like that James! Just try to hold on, we might make it!" Aaron's hands started slipping from the side, so he clung on tighter.  
He watched his brother in silence, watching him smile at their surroundings, making the best of their horrid situation. But then, his smile slipped. He started throwing his hands against the boat, struggling to keep on.  
"James!" Aaron called.  
James tried to hold on, but the current was getting too strong. Calling out, James sunk underneath the boat. Aaron screamed his name, over and over, calling for his brother, telling him to come up and that his joke wasn't funny. But James didn't come back up, and Aaron knew that he should go after him, to look for him. But his hands wouldn't let go of the boat, his mind telling him to go, and his body refusing the order. He knew that if he went, he would die, right alongside James. He knew that if he didn't go, that James would die, and if Aaron didn't, he would be blamed. He shook his head, and clung tighter and tighter to the boat, and rested his head upon the wet and dirty boards.


	7. Chapter 7

Aaron opened his eyes and looked around the room. He couldn't recall having fallen asleep, but only remembered lying down and crying. He blinked, and rubbed at his crusty eyes. He sat up in bed and looked at his wall clock, which told Aaron that it was only 6 am. He looked around his room, at the dirty stockings littering the floor, at the papers and school books strewn on and around his desk. He blinked again, and got out of bed. Grabbing his crutches from the floor, Aaron slowly stood up, groaning as his bones cracked audibly. He got dressed, and walked into the living room for some breakfast. Once he had eaten and brushed his teeth, it was 6:30, and time to go to school. Aaron walked to the porch, as he did every school day, and waited for Vlad to come and pick him up. After a few minutes, Vlad's car pulled into Aaron's drive, and he honked the horn. Aaron had become used to Vlad driving him to school, and he actually enjoyed their conversations on their way there. They talked about vampires, Vlad's past, Aaron's past, and well, just about anything in between. Aaron was just happy that he had a friend, someone he could talk to without holding back. He was happy that someone other than his mother cared about him, and that Vlad actually listened to Aaron with interest. They drove to school, and right before they arrived, Vlad said, "Were going to the movies tonight Aaron; me, Henry, Mellissa, and my friend, Snow. It's like a double date thing. I could set you up with someone if you'd like to go."  
Aaron smiled on the inside, but kept his face straight on the outside. He nodded slowly, and hesitated to answer, "I dunno… who would you be setting me up with?" His insides squirmed at the thought of going out with someone he didn't know.  
Vlad smiled, "It's one of Mellissa's friends; Ellen. I really do think that you'd like her Aaron. Come on, please go?" He raised an eyebrow at Aaron.  
Aaron sighed, and finally gave in, "Fine, what time? Where?"  
Vlad smiled again and said, "I'll pick you up at five. The theatre in Stokerton."  
Aaron just nodded, and waited for Vlad to park. When he did, Aaron got out of the car, and walked into school, his insides turning into mush at his nervousness of the night's plans. He walked into class, and spent the entire period wondering about just what Ellen looked like.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Aaron heard a horn honk, and he rose from his seat, calling goodbye to his mother. He limped out the front door, and headed for the car. He no longer had the crutches- thank goodness at that- for he'd gone to the doctors that afternoon to have his bulky cast traded for an even bulkier medical boot. But at least the crutches were gone. He climbed into the car, sliding into the back seat next to Henry, and his girlfriend, Mellissa. In the driver's seat sat Vlad, and in the passenger's seat sat a girl that Aaron didn't recognize. She was pale, almost as pale as Vlad. Her curly black hair sat lightly on her shoulders, decorated with barrettes and hair clips. Aaron couldn't see her face, but he just assumed that she was pretty. He looked around the car for his date, but they were the only ones there.  
Vlad looked back at Aaron, "We still have to pick Ellen up. She lives only a couple of minutes away."  
Aaron just nodded, and pulled on his jacket. He was nervous about that night, nervous about meeting Ellen, and worried that he would make a fool of himself. Aaron was lost in thought when the car pulled into the drive of a very large house. Vlad turned around to look at Henry, "This is where she lives, right?"  
Henry nodded, "This is it."  
Vlad honked the horn, and almost immediately, someone opened the front door and walked out. Henry got out from his side, and pulled back the seat, revealing a whole other set of seats in the very back of the car. He and Mellissa climbed back, so that Aaron could sit in the middle with Ellen. Aaron swallowed, and it felt like someone had tied his stomach into a knot. Or several knots. The girl walked up to the car, and pulled open the door to the back seat. She climbed in with a quick smile at Henry, and buckled her life line. She smiled shyly at Aaron, whose checks flushed, and he quickly looked in the other direction, folding his hands neatly in his lap.  
Vlad started the engine, and smiled back at everyone, "All right, so we have everyone. Ready to go?"  
Everyone nodded, and Vlad took off into the night. Aaron looked back at Ellen, who was looking at him for some reason. He smiled and held out his hand, "Aaron," he said.  
Smiling, she took his hand in hers, her skin soft and warm, "Ellen."  
Aaron settled back into his seat, and stared out the window, thinking that this night might not be as bad as he thought.


	8. Chapter 8

It's been two weeks since her death. It's been two weeks of constant torture and pain. It's been two weeks of crying and sobs. And it's been four months since they started dating. Aaron stood at her grave, just staring at her stone. He remembered their first date, set up by Vlad and Henry. Henry had known Ellen for years; they had been good friends since the fourth grade, according to Vlad. But not even Henry hurt as much as Aaron did. Not even Henrys cried as much as Aaron has. Not even Henry missed her as much as Aaron did.  
_How stupid_, Aaron thought. How stupid of me going through this much pain over someone he barely knew. But even when he first met her, he'd felt like he'd known her for years. He silently remembered they're first kiss, walking her to school, and their many dates. He remembered how she understood him, when so many others didn't. He remembered telling her everything about him, and how she'd listened. He also remembered her telling Aaron about her life, what she did and still wanted to do. He shook his head and let the tears flow again. He looked at the dying flowers leaning against the cold gray stone, looking sad and uncared for. Aaron picked up the flowers, slowly and carefully, and several petals feel off.  
_Everything I touch dies_, he thought bitterly. And it was true. He had been the one to lay these flowers down. It seemed that slowly, one by one, everyone he cared about disappeared. Like it was his fault. Every time he loved someone, or started to feel happy again, something would happen. Someone would die. As if he were cursed, doomed to a life of sorrow and pain. He thought of Vlad, and how his life was the same. He knew everything that had happened to Vlad, how much he had lost, how much he'd been hurt.  
Why does this happen, he thought, to people like us?  
That's life, he supposed. That's how it goes. It wasn't fair, Aaron knew that. Don't they at least get a shot at happiness; don't they at least get a chance? But then again, why should they?  
Aaron then remembered the night of the accident, the night Ellen was killed.

_Aaron smiled, a perfect figure of happiness, kissing Ellen on the lips. She kissed back, and she too smiled up at him.  
"What time will you be there?" She asked him.  
"Five exactly." He answered. She nodded, and stepped into the car, "I'll see you there, all right?" He just nodded, and looking into her bright green eyes, he leaned in.  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He said, and he leaned down closer, and kissed her forehead. She picked up his hand and kissed his palm, "See you there."  
And she backed out of the drive, and drove off. _

It had been the last time he'd seen her alive. After that, she had been killed on the highway, struck head-on by a drunk man.

Aaron took the bottle out of his pocket, and examined it closely. Anti- depressants. His mother had forced him to take them, along with the doctor. They said that they would be good for him, taking off some pressure of past experiences, and helping him deal with the loss of Ellen. He opened the cap slowly, and poured the contents into the toilet, flushing once everything in the bottle had been emptied. He got up, and screwed the cap back onto the bottle, and placed it back into the medicine cabinet. He walked out of the bathroom, and grabbed the car keys off of the counter.  
Silently, he got into the car, and drove to therapy. No, not physical therapy, that had ended months ago. Now it was mental therapy, which came with its very own psychiatrist, Dr. Parkington. Though that was his professional name, he had given Aaron permission to call him Dr. Leo, considering the fact that his first name was Leonard. Aaron has always hated the name Leonard, thinking it to be a sad, messed up version of Leonardo. When he arrived at the office, he stepped inside to find Dr. Leo waiting in his chair. Silently, Aaron walked across the room, and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down until his bum hit the floor. Dr. Leo smiled at Aaron, and said, "How are you today Aaron?"  
Aaron looked around the office, at the many knick knacks and papers lying around in heaps.  
Aaron just nodded, and quietly said, "Same as always I suppose."  
Dr. Leo nodded, and wrote something down. "How have you been feeling?"  
"Sick," Aaron replied.  
"Sick of what?" Dr. Leo asked.  
Aaron thought about it for a moment. He wasn't sure why he felt sick. Nothing in his body hurt, yet everything caused him pain. His head hurt like crazy, but that was about it.  
"I'm sick of everything." Aaron said. Dr. Leo nodded again, and sighed.  
"I'm sick of this, I'm sick of that. I'm sick of it all." Aaron said. "I just can't take it anymore."  
"What have you been doing all week, Aaron? Who have you been hanging out with?"  
Aaron paused, but only for a moment, "Vlad," he responded, "He's who I always hang out with. He's my best friend. Well, to me he is anyway. I know that I'm not HIS best friend. That's Henry."  
Dr. Leo nodded again, and wrote something else down.  
"How does Vlad act around you Aaron? What do you two talk about, what do you do?"  
Aaron said, "He acts… well… like Vlad I suppose. I dunno, it's kinda weird. One minute he's happy, the next he's sad, or upset. Sometimes he spaces out, without realizing it. And we talk about everything I guess. And we just hang out at school."  
"And how are you doing about Ellen?" Dr. Leo asked. As soon as he said her name, Aaron tensed. He didn't like to talk about her, he hated it in fact. It just reminded him of what happened, caused him more pain.  
"Fine," he mumbled.  
"All right Aaron, I understand what you're going through, but there's really no need to lie to me." Dr. Leo raised a brow.  
Aaron sighed, "I feel bad."  
"What kind of bad?"  
"Bad, like it's my fault. Guilty, and I miss her."  
"Why would you feel guilty Aaron?" Dr. Leo asked.  
Aaron just shrugged.  
"Don't shrug boy, answer me!"  
"Every time I like someone, they die, all right? James died, and I loved him so much. Dad died, and he was all I had left. Then, when I finally started to feel happy again, I got Ellen, then she died. Everything I touch breaks. It's all my fault." And at that, Aaron hung his head in shame.  
Dr. Leo shook his head, "No Aaron it's not your fault. Believe me."  
Aaron's blood was boiling, "It is! It always is!" And somehow, Aaron found himself on his feet.  
Dr. Leo said in a quiet voice, "It's not."  
"Yes it is!" Aaron yelled, hot tears on his cheeks. He picked up one knick knack after another, throwing them at the wall, watching them shatter.  
"By all means Aaron, continue destroying my belongings, I do own much too many."  
"Don't you care?" Aaron yelled, "Don't you care at all?"  
Dr. Leo looked at him very seriously. "I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here."  
And at those words, Aaron stopped what he was doing.  
"I'm sorry," he said. Then out of nowhere, he fell on the floor and cried into his hands.  
Dr. Leo got onto the floor next to him. "It's all right Aaron. It's all right."  
Aaron just sniffled, and sighed. "Dr. Leo, why do you do this? Why do you listen to other's problems? Isn't it depressing?"  
"It is only depressing when I find someone I can't help. And I'm trying to help you Aaron. Because you're my friend."  
Aaron looked at him, and wiped his nose, feeling very much like a small child, "Are you really my friend?"  
"Yes Aaron," Dr. Leo said, nodding, "I am."  
And Aaron didn't speak; instead, he just pulled Dr. Leo into a hug, and cried into his shoulder.  
"Thank you," Aaron said. And he meant it. He was thankful that there was someone out there willing to listen to his problems, and care about his pain.


	9. Chapter 9

Aaron wiped the drool from his hand and sat up. Trigonometry should be banned from everyday life… and the one who decided that kids should learn it should be tied to a chair and forced to watch at least 48 hours of educational television programmes. As the teacher droned on and on about some foolish problem, Aaron stared out the window. He watched as the clouds rolled by, and he watched as the birds flew up above. He got lost in a day dream, filled with colours and happiness. In his mind, the faces of his father, brother, and Ellen flitted across his imagination. He allowed a smile to dance on his lips, but it soon was erased from his face when he heard a scream. One of the girls in the front of the room was standing up, pointing and shrieking at the ground. Aaron looked down to where she was pointing, and there sat a large, rather ugly, hairy spider. The teacher had picked up a broom from the corner of the room, and was holding it above his head, ready to strike at the horrid creature.  
"STOP!" Aaron cried, getting up. At once, all eyes turned to him, questioning his motives.  
"Don't kill it, just let it outside," Aaron said quietly.  
"What are you talking about, it's a spider! We have to kill it, what if it bites someone?" The girl from the front yelled. Aaron was pretty sure her name was Cindy.  
"Well it didn't bite anyone did it? It's just in the wrong place at the wrong time." Aaron said.  
The boy who sat next to Aaron, Joss McMillan, Henry's cousin, stood also. "I agree with Aaron, we should just let it outside."  
Aaron nodded towards the teacher, who sighed, "Why do you care so much? She's right, it's just a spider."  
Aaron glared, "I'm sure that spider values its life as much as you value yours. There's no need to murder a creature who has done nothing to wrong you."  
Aaron looked at Joss for backup, but blinked in surprise when he saw his face. Joss had turned a bright red, and he looked incredibly ashamed of something. Or was that guilt that Aaron saw, etched into Joss's features?  
"Joss?" Aaron said.  
Joss looked up, the look of shame or guilt or whatever it was still in his eyes, and he muttered,  
"Don't kill it, please."  
At the teacher's nod, Aaron walked to the front of the class, and scooped the spider into his palm. He walked to the window, and gently let it go on the ledge, and it wobbled away slowly, taking its time going to the ground. He watched it as it descended upon the earth, and made its way into the bushes by the side of the wall. Aaron took his seat once again, next to Joss, and once order had been restored, class continued.

"He really didn't want to kill it?" Vlad asked in amazement.  
"Nope," Aaron said, "He wanted it to live."  
Vlad shook his head, "What a hypocrite."  
"What are you talking about?" Aaron asked, "Why does this matter so much to you?"  
But Vlad just shook his head again, "I don't really want to talk about it, Aaron. Too many bad memories. It's just weird that Joss would defend it, is all."  
"But why do you two hate each other so much?" Aaron said, "What's up with that?"  
"Long story," Vlad sighed. "Just… never mind." And he shook his head again, and walked away.

Aaron sat in mythology, next to Vlad, who sat in front of Joss. Mr. Otis was in the front, writing something about vampires on the board. Aaron sighed and looked at Vlad, who looked very uncomfortable with his surroundings. Aaron looked back at Mr. Otis, who began jotting down the homework assignment on the chalk board. In return, most of the class groaned as the homework list grew longer and longer. Again, Aaron looked at Vlad, and looked at Joss. He was flipping a pencil over in his hand, and he outstretched his arm, pointing the pencil right at Vlad's back. The tip of the pencil made contact with Vlad, who immediately tensed. He turned around, faster than Aaron anticipated, and flipped Joss's desk to the side, sending Joss tumbling to the ground. The pencil had somehow ended up in Vlad's hand, and when he saw it, all of the anger and fear had just seemed to melt away. He dropped the pencil onto the floor, a look of shock and embarrassment in his eyes.  
Vlad looked at Otis, but only briefly, before muttering, "Sorry. I… sorry."  
Mr. Otis pursed his lips, "Office, both of you."  
Joss's eyes grew wide at the words, "What?"  
Mr. Otis barked at them, "OFFICE!"  
They both slumped out the door, into the hallway, Vlad looking hatefully at Joss, Joss looking hatefully at Vlad. The door slammed behind Vlad, and as soon as they were gone, Mr. Otis continued writing down the homework assignment.  
Aaron wondered why the pencil had bothered Vlad so much, why it had made him so scared. And Aaron took it upon himself to find out the cause of Vlad's fear.


End file.
